The present invention generally relates to a web guide for a seat belt.
Web guides, or D-rings as they are also called, are primarily utilized to support the shoulder belt portion of a safety belt relative to an occupant's shoulder.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved web guide or D-ring. It is another object to provide a web guide having a cover integrally joined to a load absorbing core by a hinge. While some prior web guides may have occasionally included a cover, such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,452, there are no one-piece web guides that include integral covers and a load absorbing core as provided for in the present invention. Further, an inspection of the prior art, including currently manufactured web guides, show that the material used to coat the core is only black, which has a marked, negative effect on customer or driver satisfaction because it is different than the color of the other interior trim parts of the passenger compartment. In the present invention, a synthetic ionomer resin covers the load absorbing core and forms the integral hinge and cover. This type of resin is structurally sound, and has a low coefficient of friction and can be made in colors so that the entire web guide (core, hinge and cover) can match the color of the interior trim parts of the passenger compartment or even the color of the seat belt webbing.
Accordingly the invention comprises: a web guide for supporting a portion of a safety belt webbing comprising: a load absorbing core including a first part having a central opening via which the web guide is mounted relative to a vehicle mounting surface; and a second part having a first oval opening. A thin layer of coating material is applied to the first part and also narrows the central opening forming a bushing thereabout. A thicker layer of material covers most of the second part of the core and provides an integral support surface upon which the safety belt webbing can easily slide. The thicker layer of coating material includes a transition surface having a step recessed below a front surface of the thicker layer. A hinge, formed of the coating material, integrally extends from the coating material that covers the first part. A cover, also formed of the coating material, integrally extends from the hinge and includes a front surface having a top part joined to the hinge, side parts and a bottom part. The bottom part of the cover being shaped such that when the cover is rotated about the hinge to its closed position, the bottom part of the cover engages the step on the transition surface. When the cover is closed it is generally coplanar with the front surface of the thick layer. The cover further includes a latch that engages a latch boss on the core to keep the cover closed.
Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.